Wire-stretcher.



W. J. ESTES. WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 9, 1908.

.91 5,756. v Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

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W. J. ESTES. WIRE STRETOHER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 9. 1908.

91 5,756. Patented Man 23', 1909.

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$513 7 I Samm UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE.

} WILLIAM J. ESTES, OF PASCO, WASHINGTON.

WIRE-STBEITCHER.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. ESTES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fasco, in the county of Franklin and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and eXact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to wire stretchers and has for its object to rovide a device of this class which 1s simp e in construction, cheap to manufacture, strong, durable and efficient.

A further object of my invention is to provide a wire stretcher which is so constructed and arranged that it will allow the wire to untwist while the same is being stretched in such manner that all twists and kinks are removed from the wire during the course of stretching the same.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction of the rack, and my invention also consists in certain other novel features of construction and in combinations of parts, all of which will be first fully described and afterward pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the wlre stretcher in upward position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures in which:

1 indicates the rack bar which as shown in Fig. 3 is circular in cross section, the rack teeth 2 being frustum shaped, said rack teeth being substantially a series of frustums.

3 indicates the slide or sleeve through which the rack bar 1 passes, said slide or sleeve 3 being provided with a boss or projection 4 (Fig. 2) to which the clamp 5 is connected by means of a swivel 6 and link 7, the clamp 5 comprising two sections 8 and 9, the lower section 9 being pivoted to the section 8 at 10 and being provided with a series of serrations or teeth 11 as shown'in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1908.

Patented March 23, 1909.

Serial No. 420,103.

Fig. 1, the wire 12 being gri ped between the serrated surface 11 and tlie contiguous surface'of the member 8 in such manner that the strain on the wire 12 always tends to cause the serrated surface 11 to bite into the wire in order to secure and hold the sameagainst slipping. j

14 indicates the pawls or dogs which engage the rack bar 1, said pawls being provided with handles 15 so that the rack engaging portion 16 can be lifted out of engagement with the rack bar, said pawls 14 being carried in a bifurcated lever 17 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the portion 18 of said lever between the two pawls 14 engaging the sleeve p)r slide 3 for moving said slide along the rack Having thus described the several parts of my invention its operation is as follows: In order to stretch a wire the rack bar 1 is secured permanently by means of the hook 19 on the end thereof; The wire 12 to be stretched is inserted within the clamp 5, as shown in Fig; 1, and the lever 17 is operated in such manner that the lower pawl 14 engages one of the frustum shaped rack teeth 2 causing the lever to fulcrum at 20 and the portion 18 of the lever 17 to engage the sleeve or slide 3, thus drawing the slide or sleeve along the rack bar the distance of one tooth. The lever is then moved in the opposite direction which causes the upper pawl 14 to engage the succeeding frustum shaped rack teeth causing the lever to fulcrum at 21, and the portion 18 of said lever to engage the sleeve or slide 3 and move same over the rack bar the distance of one tooth. Successive operations of the lever 17 as just described draw the clamp 5 and wire 12 toward the hook 19 thus stretching the wire to any degree of tautness.

It will be noticed that the entire sleeve 3, pawls 14 and lever 17 can be rotated on the rack bar 1 in such manner that the lever can be operated in the most convenient position and in such manner that all twist will be removed from the wire during the operation of stretching the same, as the frustum shaped form of the rack teeth allows the rack bar to rotate within the sleeve or slide 3 while the lever 17 is being operated, or the lever, pawls, slides or sleeves 3 can be rotated on the frustum shaped rack teeth while the lever 17 is being operated in order to stretch the wire.

Having thus fully described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,

1. A wire stretcher comprising a rack bar having a series of frustum shaped teeth, said rack bar being constructed in such manner that the said teeth are round in cross section, a slide or sleeve carried on said bar and rotatable thereon, a wire clamp carried on said slide or sleeve, a swivel between said clamp and said slide or sleeve, said clamp being ro tatable relatively to the said rack bar, a lever and two pawls fulcruined on said lever, said lever and pawls being mounted on said rack bar in such manner that the said slide or sleeve is moved by said lever.

2. A wire stretcher comprising a rack bar having a series of teeth thereon, said teeth being circular in cross section, a slide or sleeve carried on said rack bar in such manner that said slide or sleeve is rotatable on said rack bar, a lever and means associated therewith for engaging the teeth of said rack bar to move said sleeve or slide on said rack bar, and a clamp carried by said slide or sleeve and a connection between said. clamp and said slide or sleeve, the whole arranged in such manner that the said slide or sleeve is rotatable relative to the said clamp and rack bar, and the said clamp is rotatable relative to the said slide and the said rack bar.

In testimony whereof, I a'l'lix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

, WILL J. EUIES. Witnesses CHAS. F. MAIILER, ERNEST DUNCAN. 

